Rory McIlroy opens up on 'stepping back' and 'enjoying' golf career after US Open heartbreak

Rory McIlroy has admitted that his intense focus on his career has often prevented him from "enjoying" his victories. He made this revelation while reflecting on his recent near-miss at the US Open and his ongoing ten-year wait for a fifth major championship win.

The 35-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland gave a rare glimpse into the pressures of elite golf during a retrospective look at his career. His reflections come after he narrowly missed out on victory last month at Pinehurst No 2 in North Carolina.

In a dramatic turn of events, McIlroy finished just one shot behind winner Bryson DeChambeau after leading with only five holes remaining. After missing two short putts in his final three holes, he handed the victory to his American competitor.

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Since then, the four-time major champion has taken some time for introspection, taking nearly a month off before returning to the game this week. Speaking to The Telegraph at The Renaissance Club, he said: "I need to take a step back and appreciate what I've done in my career and in my life and enjoy my success. I don't really enjoy my success and I haven't I would say for the last five," reports the Mirror .

"I haven't been on a vacation in probably four or five years. So I think just stepping back and enjoying myself a little bit more away from my game is the thing. Have some fun. I live on a golf course and it's so easy to just go out there at 7 pm and hit a few balls. So I think being able to just get away from it and give yourself that free headspace of not thinking about golf is a good thing.

"I'm committed to having more fun going forward," he continued, sharing his approach to overcoming recent challenges. "I like traveling, I like seeing new places. Going up to New York after Pinehurst, I enjoy that. I enjoy eating at new restaurants and going to new vineyards and enjoying new wines. A bit of a foodie. I enjoy seeing new parts of the world."

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Despite securing 26 titles on the PGA Tour, McIlroy has yet to clinch the coveted green jacket at the Masters, with his closest attempt resulting in a runner-up finish in 2022.

The last major victory for him was the 2014 US PGA Championship. He is hoping that his recent disappointment at the US Open will serve as a catalyst to end his drought, especially with The Open at Royal Troon coming up.

However, the crowd's favorite player is acutely aware of how close he came to glory at Pinehurst.

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